


The Edge

by orphan_account



Series: The Robbie Repositry [1]
Category: James Bond (Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Boarding School, M/M, Mentions of Underage Sex, Young Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-21
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-22 12:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6079314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The idea of an adventure holiday with his entire year made Max's stomach churn, but the idea of being able to spend a week with his three best friends was highly appealing. However, when Erik begins to hear things during the night, things get dramatically worse.</p><p>[Based on a dream I had once that was too good to not turn into a fan fiction and The Edge by Robbie Williams.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The journey down to Cornwall was frankly horrific. Being surrounded by strangers was not my favourite thing to do by any long shot but the addition of being in an old and cramped Leo Travel coach didn't add to the glee I was meant to be feeling. Q was curled up reading beside me, his glasses perched on the edge of his nose and hands fiddling with some of the loose strands of his thick hair every so often. He seemed quite content and unnerved by the rough movements of the metal can as we trundled down another narrow country road.

Whilst I appreciated the fact we wouldn't have to spend the week writing even more assessments, it would had never been my choice to instead participate in an adventure holiday. I smiled back at Q and then looked back at my magazine, grunting when I felt Erik give my shoulder a shove from the seat next to me, the two of us only being broken up by the aisle. He gave me a wide grin and offered me a sweet and then one of the origami flowers Charles had spent half the journey so far creating. I slowly chewed on the sour alligator and tucked the paper lily into my bag before looking back down at my magazine, my stub of a nail dragging under each word as I read along.

“You read like a six-year-old.” Q said without looking up from his book. “I've never seen anyone else follow along whilst reading. Well, not since year four.” He looked up at me and laughed softly when he saw my frown.

“Don't be so mean to him. We can't all read like you.” Erik added as he turned to look at us. I glanced down at the copy of _To Kill a Mockingbird_ Q was clutching and hummed. Q had always had a far greater reading age than any of us. At the age of 11 he had completed the entire Harry Potter series and was surpassing even the head of the department’s expectations for his English performance. Erik was just as intelligent but tended to hide it, instead gaining mainly C’s and D’s in his report cards up until the end of year 10. However, Charles had begun to pester him to get his act together and to at least try and boost his grades. It was clear his boyfriend’s enthusiasm had influenced him as he was now back to his A* abilities. Charles was clearly proud of him as Erik returned to school with a limp and a soppy grin the next day.

“I've already read most of the novels he has anyway, Erik. He's just saying.” I sighed and Erik frowned and turned away, holding his hands up defensively before putting another sweet in his mouth to chew on and going back to helping Charles with his paper folding.

…

We arrived in Pendennis five hours later after a long stop in Bath. It was a wet and cold even in the middle of May. Erik stood beside me with a scowl on his face and hands deep in his pockets, having seemed to regretted his decision on lending Charles his coat. The hood of my sweatshirt was pulled over my head to block out as much of the rain as I could as we stood in front of Pendennis Castle, awaiting our guide.

“I’ve never regretted anything in my life, well, until today.” Erik grumbled and I looked at my feet, laughing softly and then looking up at Erik. “I hate the rain and the wind and the cold.” He continued, grunting to himself.

“Is there anything you do like, Erik?” Q asked and I looked up at him, smacking his arm and laughing softly. I wasn’t really very sure quite why Erik and Q didn’t seem to like each other, but it seemed like something that went back a long way, far before even I knew them.

“I like Charles.” He said, looking over at Q and then over at Charles who was tucked into his side. “And I like Max sometimes.” He adds nodding in my vague direction.

“I’m honoured, flattered.” I say with a laugh and shake my head, letting Erik give me a shark-like grin that exposed all of his brilliantly white teeth.

“And so you should be, my friend. It seems I have competition.” Charles said, bending around his boyfriend to look at me. I laughed once more but was silenced by the call of a man who was walking down the steps of the castle towards us.

“Haberdashers' Aske's, I presume.” He called as he reached us. Enthusiastically, he clapped his hands together and grinned at us. His grin reminded me of Erik’s, all teeth and gums. I cringed slightly and watched as he paraded up and down the line of us, eyeing each of us up and stiffening when he saw how Charles was being protectively held to Erik’s side. I couldn’t help but snigger, the man then halting in front of me and squinting. “What’s your name, boy?”

I was about to make some quick remark about how I was eighteen and therefore a man rather than a boy, but I was quickly interrupted by a loud rumble of thunder and a thick lightning bolt crashing into the sea. However, the glum looking ex-marine (I could tell by the tattoo on his bare arm that resembled that of my father’s) kept his beady eyes fixed on me, like he was still expecting an answer. I turned my head from the sea that was hitting the Cliffside a few hundred metres to my left and looked at him with a smile. “Denbigh, Max Denbigh.” I said and extended my arm so he could shake my head. “And may I say what a pleasure it is, Major General Stevens.” I smirked and he took a step back.

Q and Erik both looked at me as if I was mad. Of course it was easy to know his name. A man with crossing swords tattooed under the marine’s emblem was quite clearly a major general, and his name badge made it all a lot simpler. I gave him a quick, fake smile before he continued down the line.

“How?” Was all Erik asked. I looked up at him and shrugged.

“It helps to be observational sometimes, Lehnsherr.” I said before we began the trek up to the castle where we would be staying for the following five nights.


	2. Chapter 2

We decided to turn the last four-bed room into our abode for the week, choosing that over two double rooms or having to share with another group of four boys. It made theoretical sense, seeing as none of us spoke to any of the boys outside our friendship group.

We had hastily unpacked and abandoned our belongings wherever they would fit, apart from Charles’ chess board which sat proudly on the small coffee table in the centre of the room, Erik and Charles’ bunk bed against the wall to its right and the door to the bathroom on the left. I chose to sit on the chair by the window as they played. The chair was nothing like the soft leather one back in mine and Q’s room but was instead made from study oak with only a musty and barely stuffed cushion to soften it. Q was laying on his bed reading, flicking through pages of his novel faster than I had ever seen. Whilst he mocked me for having an almost pathetic reading ability, I was not to tell him I would take his books from the nightstand and read them whilst he was asleep. I had once fallen asleep with his copy of _Jane Eyre_ hugged to my chest and he laughed at me. I then vowed to ensure he never caught me again.

I turned to look away from Q and to the other two men who were crouched at either sides of the coffee table playing their game of chess. It was quite a marvellous sight, especially to see the way Erik’s tongue slightly stuck out the side of his mouth as he contemplated his next move. Charles was more than content with his current situation, his eyes soft and loving as he watched Erik’s hand glide over his Queen and gracefully knock away his Bishop. It took him a while to realise what his boyfriend had done and he was left to curse under his breath quietly before going back to focusing on where to move next. My eyes flicked back up and Erik was sat looking at me, his tongue now back in his mouth and eyes looking me up and down. I turned my head and looked out of the window and to the faint, glowing light of the light house in the distance. The sea mist was too thick to see much but I could still notice the blob of yellow light a few miles down the coast. Thunder continued to clatter and hail hammered on the windows and stonework of the medieval castle we were calling home.

I sat staring out for a while before standing and clearing my throat. “I’m going to go get myself a cup of tea. Anyway fancy one?” I asked, pulling my sweatshirt back on and pulling the hood over my head so the rain wouldn't soak me too much. The three just grunted to say no, not bothering to look up at me or thank me. I nodded to myself and put my trainers back on, then leaving the room and going to the teacher’s quarters to ask for my wallet so I could go back into town a little way and to the café I had noticed whilst we were traveling through the small town. I knew none of the teachers really cared about where we went and with who so they chucked me my wallet and instructed me to be back in an hour at most. I made my way down the stone steps and into the grand hall of the castle, turning my head when I heard talking from the dining hall. I walked closed but paused to listen through the gap of the open door, picking up nothing but a few remarks about Charles and Erik and a comment on one of the other boys’ haircut. I turned and then left through the main door, zipping up my jacket and walking through to the town.

Ten minutes in and I was tempted to turn back to the castle on the hill, the wind burning my face and rain irritating my eyes. Though it was nothing more than a few twinkling lights behind me now, the mist having hidden most of the dark stone structure. I turned to look at the view for a while before turning back and continuing my walk, not slowing when headlights appeared a hundred metres in front of me, the white lights momentarily blinding me. Half a minute later, the car was in front of me and I stopped, the driver honking his horn at me and then hanging out of the window.

“Boy! What are you doing wandering around her at this time of night?” I looked down at my watch and noticed it was a few minutes after eight pm. “Get back right this minute.” I took a step forward and squinted into the most, making the man out to be MG Stevens again. “Come on, Denbigh. Don't just stand there staring at me.” He hissed, angrily pressing down on his horn again. I took some steps to the side of the road and let him past, not letting him phase me as I continued down the gravel road, eventually meeting the once busy main road that separated the castle grounds and the rest of Pendennis. I crossed the road and walked down the high street, watching most of the shops putting out their bins and packing away stock. All apart from the café I had noticed on our way in. I looked up and saw the sign pained above it.

**_THE TIGER AND THE MAGPIE COFFEE CO_ **

I entered, the bell above my head ringing and warmth of the shop instantly warming up my cold hands that had grown stiff from the beating they’d received from the rain. I tugged down my hood and walked up to the cash desk, rubbing my hands together and gazing up at the menu board.

I was so concentrated on the list that I didn't hear the blond man who was now stood in front of me greet me. I blinked and turned to look at him, smiling.

“My god, kid. How are you not freezin? Here, let me get you a proper coat.” The man said, then disappearing back into the store room, only to return with a large fleeced waterproof jacket that he handed to me. “Here. That’ll do the trick. I'm Sebastian. What can I get you?” His accent was cheerful and a combination of Irish and another I could not quite pin point. I looked down at the cost in my hands and smiled, pulling it on and zipping it up.

“Oh thank you for the coat, Sebastian. I ensure I’ll return it by the end of my stay.” I smiled, watching as he grinned back at me in an Erik like way. The man resembled my friend, with bright eyes and messy hair. Apart from the fact Sebastian had glasses framing his eyes and his hair tousled back in an uncontrolled messy mane was instead ginger. His beard was thick and travelled half way down his neck, hiding the top of a tattoo that curled around his neck and then down his back. “I'll just have a cup of tea, if you don't mind. The water back at the castle is very hard and does not make for a nice cup of tea.” I said with a smile and a laugh, Sebastian nodding and smiling in agreement.

“Oh, yes. Everything up that the fortress seems a lot worse than back in the town.” Sebastian commented as he placed the tea bag into a card cup. “I guess you're down here for one of their fun camps or whatever they're called, eh? We hardly get any of the kids from up there track down to the main town unless they want something from the gift shop. It's a shame because we’re a good, nice town.” I nodded and smiled at Sebastian who was pouring in the water and milk before stirring in a heaped spoonful of sugar. “There you go…” He paused and handed me the cup, seeming to question my name.

“Max.” I smiled and handed him a few coins. “And I am, yeah. It's a nice town. I'll try and come in during the day so I can have a look around the shops or something.” Sebastian seemed eager by that idea. I presumed he didn't have any, or a lot of, company so was thankful for my appearance.

“Well enjoy the tea, Max. And hopefully I’ll see you again.” He said and smiled at me. I nodded and picked up my cup before leaving, turning back to watch Sebastian begin to polish down the worktop that already looked impeccably clean. I laughed to myself and then turned, starting the walk back up to the castle.

It was like I had never left. Erik and Charles were sat playing chess again and Q was still curled up reading. I smiled to myself and then sat back in my chair, sipping my tea and looking out to see. The mist had begun to settle and was slowly becoming calmer and the rain had lightened off to a damp drizzle. All in all, it was a lot calmer and more peaceful outside. I sipped on the still hot contents of my travel cup and then looked back into the room. Erik was staring at me again whilst Charles made his move. I frowned and looked back at him, our staring contest being interrupted by Charles cheering ‘checkmate’ a few seconds later. Erik looked back at him and smiled. Before standing and putting the board away.

“C’mon. I'm tired.” Erik said and Charles stood, taking his pyjamas from under the pillow and disappearing into the bathroom. Erik turned to look at me as I stood and placed the chair back into the corner before climbing up the bunk bed and laying down. I curled up, uncaring that I was still in my damp clothes, and watched Erik undress.

Erik had always been a lot taller than any of us. A lot stronger and more muscular than any of us, too. I could see the muscles etched on his back as he took off his shirt and the permanent bruises on his collar from where Charles had clearly been a little too eager to leave his mark on the man. I tore my eyes away from him and over to Q who tucked his book under his pillow and then pulled over his jeans and jumper, abandoning them on the carpet beside him.

The other three boys fell asleep very quickly once in bed. I instead laid staring up at the ceiling and let my eyes eventually shut when I no longer had the energy to keep them open. I could hear Q violently snoring from the bed at the foot of mine and and I tried to time my breathing with each loud snore. Eventually I fell asleep, not at all feeling comfortable in both the bed and the environment I was in.

I woke at three am to hear Erik panting and mumbling to Charles to try and wake him up. I leant over and switched on my light and looked at Erik who was sat up, sweat covering his face and his knuckles white from where he had been clutching the duvet.

“Erik?” I asked and he looked over at me. I could see his Adam's apple bobbing slowly as he ran a hand through his hair. “Are you alright?” I asked slowly, sitting up and then getting from bed, going over to him and crouching beside his bed. He looked at me and gave me a smile.

“I'm fine. It was just a bad dream.” He said, looking around the room. His eyes then fixed on the room door and I could see the fear in his eyes. “Can you go check there's nothing out there?” He asked and I nodded, smiling at him and then going over to the door. I opened it and stepped out, looking down the corridor both ways. All I could notice was one of the doors on the opposite side of the corridor shutting with a soft thump. I then returned back inside our room and went over to Erik. “Nothin?” He asked and I shook my head.

“No, Erik. Nothing.” He slowly nodded and gave me a half attempted smile before Charles sat up and rubbed his head with his hand.

“Erik what is it? Are you alright?” He yawned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands and yawning. Erik gave me another smile and I stood, going back to bed and laying down, pulling the covers over me and shutting my eyes, ignoring the mumbles from the couple in the bed on the opposite side of the room.


	3. Chapter 3

At no point would I have ever chosen to wake up at 5am. Especially not to go for a run in another pathetic thunder storm. But we were woken up by GS Stevens just before 5 and instructed to go and have a run to the town. I was tempted to go and see Sebastian again and take Q with me, knowing quite how much he hated any form of athletic exercise and how much he liked good tea and coffee. I tugged on my work out clothes and looked over at Q who was scurrying around the room trying to tidy the mess that had somehow appeared on the floor of the room.

“Hey, Q.” I said and he didn't look up, instead walking away from me to pick up the goal Erik had abandoned in the middle of the room. I stopped in my tracks and frowned before deciding to abandon my plan of asking him and instead pulled on the jacket I had been leant and made my way out of the room, ensuring I slammed the door behind me with as much dramatic effect as possible.

The walk to the coffee house was somewhat more pleasant than that of the last evening. Precipitation was no longer thick and hanging heavy in the air and the thunder had seemed to have silenced. The rain still pulled down some slicked back pieces of my hair out of place and left them to dangle in my eye like. I pushed them back with my long fingers and pulled my coat tighter around me, continuing my walk down the long cobbled lane that led to the castle. I crossed the road and reached the café, the smell of freshly brewed coffee pouring out the door as I stepped inside.

“Morning!” A cherry voice called from behind the counter. I pulled my hood down and smiled at Sebastian who was once again wiping down the counter tops. “Tea today, too?” He asked and I shook my head, ordering a mocha and then sitting down in one of the large leather chairs pressed against the wall. “You trying to avoid someone? We normally see your lot running past the window about now.” Sebastian commented as he brought me over my drink.

“Yeah.” I mumbled and gave him a smile. “Something like that.” I sighed, picking up my coffee and brining it to my lips, slowly sipping. “I think I've done something to annoy my friends. I don't know what, mind.” I said, Sebastian sitting down in front of me. “They just keep ignoring me when I talk to them. They've never done it before and it's not like I've said anything or even said anything behind their backs because I'm not one of those people.” Sebastian sighed and shook his head. I frowned and had another sip. “What should I do?” I didn't know quite why I was rambling on about my life dramas to him but he seemed to want to listen so I just continued.

“I suggest you talk to them. How much could that hurt, eh? It would probably do you good.” He suggested and I nodded. “It could be nothing and you're just over reacting, yeah?” I sipped my coffee and swallowed harshly.

For as long as I had known the three boys they had never been so cold to me. We had always gotten along, even if Erik and Q did argue for no reason sometimes, but they were never mean to me. I couldn't even think of what I had done wrong because I had simply stayed silent for most of yesterday. And the incident with GS Stevens was nothing to do with them. It wasn’t like I was laughing at them or mocked them in any way. Still, I felt I had to say something to them, like Sebastian had said.

And so I finished my coffee and said goodbye to Sebastian, telling him I would come by tomorrow to tell him how it went. I then began to the walk next to the castle and reached our room at the same time Erik did. He was sweaty and shirtless, his back muscles glistening. I unlocked the door and went inside, Erik disappearing into the bathroom to shower. I sat on my bed and flexed, my eyes on the new novel resting on Q’s pillow. I stood and went over to it, reading the blurb. It was some penguin classic once again but this time about a detective. I sat on the edge of his bed and read a few of the first pages before the door opened and the other two men tumbled in, laying and joking. I shot up and set the book back down.

“Max?” Q asked, letting Charles shut the door behind them. “What have I told you, eh? Don't touch my books.” He hissed and pushed me away from his bed.

“Right, of course. Sorry. I was just interested.” I fell back into my bed and crossed my legs at the ankles. Charles was looking at me, his hair damp and hanging over his face. “I won't do it again. Promise.” Q then gave me a firm glare and sat down, patiently waiting for Erik to return from his shower. Charles was fumbling about in his draw of the dresser, looking for some clothes to put on.

Q was still staring at me, his eyes burning into me. I looked over at him and swallowed, his eyes immediately flicking away.

“What have I done wrong, Q?” I asked softly, my hands fumbling together. “Because you're being a real asshole to me at the moment.” He looked back at me and frowned. He pushed his glasses up his nose and then sat up straight. “What is it, eh?”

He frowned and tilted his head, looking at me. “Nothing, Max. I just… don’t like you fiddling with my stuff, alright?” I laughed and he tilted his head.

“Oh Q. It’s clearly something more than that, ain’t it? And don’t lie to me. I know when something’s wrong.” He let out a slow sigh and Charles looked at me.

“It’s just what he said, Max. You just always interfere with our stuff and it gets so annoying!” I didn’t know why Charles was backing him up but it pissed me off. I stood and looked at them before shaking my head.

“Well. Maybe it’s just because none of you will ever talk to me when I want to. I mean, you’re always nose deep in a book and you’re playing chess with Erik!” My rant was stopped by Erik appearing from the bathroom in only a hair towel around his waist. At the same time GC Stevens entered and we turned to face him.

“Lehnsherr, Xavier, Denbigh and Richards. All present and correct I see.” He said looking at the four of us. “Denbigh, why weren’t you at training this morning? We greatly missed you.” He smirked, Erik laughing quietly behind me. “Were you going to the same place as you were last night? To go find yourself gay? Jealous of your friends over here, eh?” I snarled at him. Even the idea of homophobia made my stomach churn. I was still deeply within the metaphorical closet but I had to stand up for my friends.

“What did you just say?” I asked slowly, my eyes squinted. I slowly moved forward until we were almost nose to nose. However, I was more than sure my pathetic stance of 5’8 would not scare anyone. He laughed quietly and looked down at me. “Because from what I heard you were being a bit of a cunt.” He grinned at me and lifted his arm to punch me though I had soon gotten a firm grip of his wrist before he even had the chance. “Tut tut, General. Abusing your pupils? How very kind.” I sighed and he glared at me, pushing me backwards and hitting me roughly. “That all you got? Eh?” I shouted. I could feel the anger racing through my blood and all I wanted to do was hurt the bastard. Hurt him for offending my friends, even if they did currently hate me. He roughly hit me again and I began to fight back, my teeth bared and nails thrashing back at him until his cheek began to bleed. The other three were shouting at me, wanting me to get off of the old man, but I was paying no attention. This man had to pay for how he’d hurt my friends. I roughly grabbed the neck of his t-shirt and pulled him close to me, read to raise my knee and then kick him to the ground.

“Max. Get off of him. Neither Erik or I have a care for what he says.” Charles’ voice filled my head and I looked over at him, feeling dizzy. “Just let him go and we can talk. We’re not angry at you, instead thankful.” I blinked and shook my head, trying to get Charles from my head. No one else seemed to be hearing what he was saying. I looked over at him and saw how he was sat staring at me. I slowly let go of the General and tilted my head to look at Charles. I didn’t have time to turn my head to see the rough punch that was about to be delivered to my jaw. I stumbled back and hit the wall before slumping down it and cradling the side of my face. Stevens left with a grunt in my direction and the four of us were alone again.

“How did you do that?” I asked Charles, looking over at him. “Because I was not hearing things I don’t hear things I-“ Charles cut me off with a smile and a soft sigh.

“I can read people’s minds and contact them via their minds, Max. So no, you’re not going mad. Don’t worry.” Erik looked at him and then at Q. “That’s what we were hiding from you. Why we were so cold around you I guess.” To anyone else, the idea was frankly laughable but I had experienced what he could do and I knew it was true. I also knew that Charles would never lie as he had no self-pity like myself.

“So you’re a telepath. I don’t see how that would ever make me dislike you, Charles. I would have rathered you told me the truth.” Charles smiled back at me and then looked up at Erik. “Oh not you too. Are all of you superhumans?” I joked and Q shook his head.

“My intelligence is merely a hereditary thing.” He commented. “But Erik can bed and move metal when he’s angry.” I looked at the German and nodded slowly. I felt rather lame for not having a super cool power of talent like Erik and Charles, I even felt crap because I was clearly no where near as smart or attractive as Q. I looked over at Charles and he winked at me before nodding in Q’s direction. I watched him stand and come over to me. He crouched and admired my split lip and bruised jaw. “You’ll really feel that in the morning.” He joked, running a finger over one bruise that was already beginning to vibrantly show.

“I can feel it now and it’s rather painful.” I laughed and he smiled back at me. He helped me to stand and led me into the bathroom to clean up my split lip. “How long have you known?” I asked him, looking into his eyes as he cleaned my cut with antiseptic lotion.

“Three years.” I scoffed and stared at him. He smiled and laughed. “It's not like we weren't going to tell you because we were. But back then you didn't have as much to do with Charles and Erik as you do now so, well, we saw no point.” It was a fairly reasonable compromise but I had grown best friends with them both so I was slightly upset they hadn't told me sooner and were instead acting so strangely around me. Though I was now glad they had given me a reason.

We returned to the main room a few minutes later to find Erik getting dressed and Charles still patiently waiting for his shower. Q took off his running shirt and let it fall to the floor, then taking of his pathetically short running shorts. I would be lying if I said I hadn't looked at his arse when it was hugged in tight Lycra, but the other two had as well. However he looked even better stood in only his briefs, hair pushed back and glasses resting on the edge of his small nose.

“Max please make your gawping at least a little subtle.” Erik said, making my head snap away and gaze instead fix on him. I laughed nervously and then laid down, looking back at Q who was happily humming to himself as he sat down and picked up his book to read. I looked around the room and chewed on my bottom lip.

“So metal, eh? That's quite cool.” I said to Erik and he nodded.

“It helps.” He said simply and went into the bathroom with Charles’ towel, leaving Q and I on our own. I looked around and hummed to myself, unsure whether to talk to the other or not.

I fancied him. Everything from his doe eyes to his loveable personality. He was kind and gentle and showed my so much attention and love when I needed it, especially in my first few months away from home. I had grown accustomed to his company and wouldn't want it any other way. I doubted he felt the same but hope was there. Maybe I would ask Charles. After all, he could read Q’s mind and give me a fairly accurate verdict on whether I was simply just waiting my time.

I looked at Q and he looked back at me and we both smiled. He was the only one I wanted to spend my life with. I knew it.


End file.
